Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Ignore Me
Tomorrow is Gemma’s wedding. It’s been the longest month of my life. What I thought was going to be some kind of domestic bliss is… for lack of a better word, a nightmare.
We live together, but I barely see him. He’s asleep when I get up. I go to school, then work. I come home—he’s still at work. When he finally gets home, he’s off doing something with his friends. They go riding on their “organ donors”—motorcycles. Their girls get to go. Penelope is always with him. He never asks if I want to come. I wouldn’t—but it’s the thought that counts.
Or they have poker night. Somehow it’s supposed to be guys only, but Penelope, Lydia, Carrie, and Dahlia are always there. I’m reduced to staying out of the game room while they play.
It’s fucking bullshit. Why ask me to move in? Why ask to date me? He spends all his time ignoring me.
Dragon hasn’t touched me since the first night in the house. I’ve woken up more times than I can count to him jerking off right next to me in bed. Every time, I pretend to be asleep. I’m sick of it. I’ve had enough. I’m so over this… sitting on the edge of our bed, waiting for him to come in. It’s poker night again. They don’t even have a set day—it’s whenever they feel like it.
The anger inside me is burning hot. I want to fight with him. I know I’m going to go off. I should just pack a bag and fucking leave.
I started classes at UNLV, declared Fine Arts as my major. I’m taking a double load so I can finish faster. Working at an art gallery after school has been a godsend—it keeps me busy. Saturday mornings, I run with the dog. Sunday mornings, I play tennis with Gemma. Alek is always there, and they look so damn cute together. Mason and Grant join us after their golf game, and we all have lunch. Monday nights, we box at the gym. Tosho loves all the business I’ve brought in—he’s thrilled to have all these famous boxers showing up. Vince has been coming too. We’re teaching him how to fight.
Stanislav goes by “Stan” now—ha. I introduced him to Tiana, and they seem to get along well. I had dinner with them and Ivan once. I cooked for all of them in my apartment. Ivan has been staying in my room. My cousin says he regrets what he said to me. I don’t care. Ivan hasn’t said two words to me—he just talks to Stanislav. At dinner, his phone kept buzzing nonstop. Stan told me he’s seeing four girls right now. Good for him.
Our bedroom door cracks open.
Dragon freezes when he sees me. “You’re still awake?” he asks, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
“Yeah. I’m sorry—were you hoping I’d be asleep so you could jerk off alone again?” I don’t even let him respond. I stand up. “You haven’t touched me in a month. Why aren’t you waking me up? I wouldn’t care.” I pause, trying to steady my breathing before I say something worse.
“It’s just faster,” he mutters, looking down.
“What?” I snap. “Are you saying I’m too much work for you? Then why the hell did you want to be exclusive with me? Why ask me to move in? Why the fuck are you wasting my time?” I step closer, my hands hitting his chest as I shove him back. I shouldn’t be pushing a man his size—but I’m too angry to care. “If I wanted a damn roommate, I could’ve had one. If I wanted to be cheated on, I would’ve stayed with another asshole.”
His head snaps up, anger flashing in his eyes. “I have not cheated.”
“You might as well have. You spend more time with her than you do with me. Sleeping next to you is like sleeping in a damn graveyard.” I turn away from him. That’s all he has to say? Fuck this.
I walk into the closet and start packing a bag.
He follows me. “What are you doing?”
“I don’t know—what does it look like?” I shoot over my shoulder. “I’m not going to let you hurt me and ignore me anymore.”
Dragon steps closer and wraps his arms around me. “I’m sorry you’ve been feeling ignored. You’re not too much work… I just don’t want you to lose sleep. If I wake you up, we’ll be up all night.” He presses a kiss to my neck.
He’s trying to distract me. I know it. And, unbeknownst to him, I wasn’t born yesterday.
“I’m not in the mood,” I say, shoving him back.
“You’re always in the mood.” I can feel his smile against my skin as he pulls me in again. “Don’t be mad. Don’t go. I’m sorry—I’ll do better.”
My emotions twist inside me. I want him. I love him. But I don’t want to feel like second best. If I wanted that, I would’ve stayed with Ivan. I deserve to be someone’s first choice—their only choice. Don’t I?
Dragon turns me in his arms, holding me there like he’s afraid I’ll disappear. His hand cups the back of my neck, his lips brushing mine. My mind is still furious, but my body betrays me, leaning into him. I’ve been deprived—of attention, of touch—for too long.
I give in.
He lifts me, carrying me back to the bed, setting me down gently. My nightshirt is gone in seconds, leaving me bare in front of him. Dragon curses under his breath.
I open my mouth to protest—but nothing comes out. I try again. Still nothing. My voice just… disappears.
He lowers me onto the bed, climbing over me.
“This changes nothing!” I manage to force out. "Don’t think this fixes anything,” I mutter, my hands pressing against his chest, though I don’t push him away this time. I pull him closer.
“It doesn’t,” he says quietly, the edge gone from his voice now. “But I’m not letting you walk out that door tonight.”
For a second, neither of us moves. The weight of everything hangs between us—the distance, the silence, the resentment that’s been building for weeks.
“You don’t get to ignore me and then just…” I gesture between us, frustrated. “Act like I’m supposed to fall back into place.”
“I know,” he says, and this time, he actually sounds like he means it. “I love you.”
That’s what throws me off—not the touch, not the closeness—but the crack in his voice.
"Dragon!" I almost moan out, tugging at his shorts.
Dragon smirks down at me. “Shut up and take this dick like a good girl.”